Friday, May 31, 2013

Hello there! I've got one final retiring card for you from one of my favorite sets, the Ronald McDonald House set Moving Forward. I really hate to say farewell to this set, especially since SU! donates $3 to the charity for every stamp set that is sold-over $1,000,000 to date. It's not too late to get this set. You have til 12:50 am tonight to place an online order, and then it's gone for good! I used lots of my retiring favorites on this card-Summer Smooches DSP, Friendly Phrases and the Brights Brads. I started with a Whisper White base and added the DSP. I stamped the bike image in Tangerine Tango, wiped the seat off with a baby wipe, and colored the seat with a Tempting Turquoise Marker and stamped the image. I stamped it again in Daffodil Delight for the small wheel, and Real Red for the big wheel. I used the larger circle from the Owl Builder Punch to punch the small wheel and the 1" Circle Punch for the large wheel.

I used the Stamp-a-ma-jig to get the froggie right where I wanted him and added some Old Olive grass underneath. I used the Paper-piercing Mat & Tool to attach the brads. I mounted the image onto a piece of Tempting Turquoise Cardstock and then mounted that onto another piece of Whisper White with Dimensionals. I punched out the Tempting Turquoise label with the Decorative Label Punch, cut it in half and stuck it under the image with SNAIL. I added a couple of fluffy clouds using the Cupcake Builder Punch and ran them through the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder.

I added the sentiment in Tangerine Tango, flagged the end and added a Brights Brad. I finished it off with a border of faux stitching using an Old Olive Marker and a ruler. I used a sentiment from Petite Pairs for the inside of the card, which is 25% off through June, along with Sassy Salutations and Sweet Essentials. As in the past, I got by with a little help from my friends at SU! with the layout for this card from my Demonstrator Business Website. Check out the project ideas if you haven't already.

Today marks the official start of the new catalog! As usual, my wish list is a mile long. Thanks to all who came to my Retirement Party and helped me get some things marked off my list! I can't wait to get my new stuff and start sharing with you-hopefully in about a week!:)

And as always, at the end of the month I have my line-up for the 'Kits/Card To Go'. The number for each selection is listed ABOVE the card. See my home page on the right hand side for prices of each kit. Here they are~pick any 4:

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Okay, those are your choices. Please let me know your selections by June 5th and if you're wanting the 'Kits' or 'Cards' To Go. Email me at lmel09@q.com. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Hello there! I hope you're all in one piece today! Our shed is in the neighbor's back yard two houses down, and we have broken and uprooted trees all around us. Craziness! I had to wake up Quinten early from his nap in case we had to move to the basement, so that tells you how drastic things were getting around here! Well, we're getting down to the last few cards of the current catalog. This card features the set Hoop La La, which I dearly love. Sadly, this is the first card I've made with it. I did use it for one of my Artisan projects though, so it has seen some love:) I started with a Very Vanilla base and added a piece of Storytime DSP. I used the Big Shot to cut out the frames using the Window Frames Collection Framelits for the So Saffron frame, and the Apothecary Accents Framelits for the Pool Party frame. I used the Essentials and Festive Paper-piercing Packs along with the Mat and Tool for the detail on the frames.

I colored the tulip image with Riding Hood Red, Wild Wasabi and Basic Grey Markers. I put Dimensionals between all the layers except for the bottom frame, to give it some dimension. I triple-stacked the Dimensionals for the 'hello' sentiment for it to lay flush. I strung some Pool Party Baker's Twine through the label and added a trio of Brights Brads.

I love the combination of bright and subtle colors in this DSP and am really going to miss it. I'm going to try to knock out another couple of cards to post by tomorrow using Moving Forward and Easy Events. I've got a full day of Quinten tomorrow, so we'll see how far I get??? Thanks so much for stopping by!

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Hello there! Today I have a fun card for you made with Wishes Your Way from the Spring Catalog. I opted to cut out the pinwheel by hand by following the pattern in the Tea For Two DSP, but you could easily use the Pinwheel Die instead-well maybe not easily; it's a little tricky at first. Once you've made a couple though, it's a snap. The die would have made the pinwheel a little smaller, and I wanted the stitching to show on the opposite side, so that's why I cut it out by hand.

For the background, I inked up the Clear Block D with So Saffron ink and stamped it onto a piece of Very Vanilla Cardstock. I added a border of Lucky Limeade Cardstock punched with the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch and adhered it under the Saffron square with Liquid Tombow. The sentiment is stamped in Island Indigo and I ran it through the Big Shot with the Bitty Banner Framelits to cut it out. I finished the pinwheel off with a Printed Designer Brad in Island Indigo as well. There's only a couple more days to get the brads, Pinwheel Die and DSP.

For a finishing touch, I used the Needlepoint Border Embossing Folder for a little bit of layered interest in the background. Thanks so much for stopping by. Make sure to come back tomorrow for another set that won't be around much longer. See you soon!

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Hello there! I hope you enjoyed the holiday yesterday. We had a fun day of grilling and s'mores! Doesn't get much better than that. We're winding down to the end of the month and your last chance to get lots of great retiring sets. One of those is this set Cross My Heart from the Spring Catalog. I paired it up with Teeny Tiny Wishes for a retirement card. I started with a Basic Black base and added several different papers from the First Edition DSP, which is unfortunately gone. I added some faux folder tabs made with the Ticket Duo Builder Punch in So Saffron Cardstock.

I added a Hung Up Cute Clip, along with a couple of Neutral Buttons, which won't be around for much longer either. I used the retiring sets Hoop La La for the coffee ring and French Foliage for the splatters. I'm going to miss both sets:( I added some Basic Grey Stitched Ribbon and Early Espresso Baker's Twine as well. I made a mini faux newspaper by folding up some DSP and wrapping a rubber band around it.

I added a strip of DSP from the Neutrals DSP Stack, which I have several of in all the color families. You can get them nearly new for half price today at my Retirement Party, along with lots of other goodies! Just place an order from any or our catalogs-including the new one, and pick out the equivalent amount from my retired stash. It goes from 4-7 today. Hurry over before your favorites are gone! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Monday, May 27, 2013

Hello there! Happy Memorial Day to you! I was hoping for a nice quiet day, but it looks like that isn't going to be the case. I'm going to be breaking into a bottle of wine soon, so I thought I'd better post this first. A friend of mine was needing a graduation card for this week-end, so this is what I came up with. I got the layout from one of our Stampin' Success magazines. I started with a Baja Breeze:( base and added some Patio Party DSP to the sides. I cut another design from the same DSP for the center panel and added borders on the sides using the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch. I used Hearts A Flutter and stamped the pennants in Primrose Petals, Summer Starfruit and Midnight Muse. I ran them through the Big Shot using the Hearts A Flutter Framelits.

I used the Paper-piercing Mat and Tool and added some White Baker's Twine to make a mini banner. I added a couple of pennants behind the banner using the Petite Pennants Builder Punch using Primrose Petals ink and the Baja print DSP. I used the soon to retire set Perfect Punches for the sentiment, first in Primrose, then again in Midnight Muse. I cut out the Midnight oval and attached it to the label using Glue Dots. I added a few Summer Starfruit flowers made with the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack and Basic Rhinestones.. Finally, I added a baker's twine bow to the end.

For the inside, I used Pure Gumption and Itty Bitties for the cute little banner at the top.

I was thinking this could also work for an Anniversary card, so I changed up a few things...

I changed up the colors of the pennants, added a couple of the heart images and added the sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes, and now I have a perfect anniversary card.

Actually, this card would be perfect for just about any occasion, just change the sentiment to what you're needing.

I thought this sentiment from One In A Million worked perfectly for this card. Thanks so much for stopping by today! Enjoy the holiday!

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Hello there! Here's a card made with the Hostess set Happy You, which is only going to be aroud til the end of May. I thought we needed something to cheer us up with all this rain lately. I also used the retiring set from the spring catalog Itty Bitties for the tiny umbrella in the corner. I started with a Basic Grey base and added some Sprinkles & Sunshine DSP on top of a Marina Mist border. I used the retiring Large Tag Punch for the cute little boot and layered some Marina Mist behind it also. I added a piece of Melon Mambo Scallop Dots Ribbon and stapled it to the tag.

I colored the image with Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo, Marina Mist and Old Olive Markers, and added a Subtles Button along with a strip of Melon Mambo to the center.

Next, I added some pennants cut out with the Big Shot and Hearts A Flutter Framelits and Petite Pennants Builder Punch. I added a piece of This & That Epic Day Washi Tape and did some fun stitching over the top with my awesome new sewing machine. I did a little stitching at the bottom of the card also. I finished it off with a Soda Pop Top and the umbrella image that I punched out with a 1/2" Circle Punch and popped up with a Dimensional.

I hope you enjoyed today's card, and I hope you enjoy a fun day tomorrow. After a night of 2 grandbabies, I'm hoping for a day of absolutely nothing and peace & quiet tomorrow. One can hope! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Hello there! I made this card using Best of Everything, a set, I have to confess, I've hardly ever used. I don't know why, it's really cute. Our catalog is kinda slim-pickens right now with patriotic sets, so I opted to go rogue and come up with something on my own. Not sure that I pulled if off though. I was going for a flag with this design, but neither my hubby or son really got it, so I don't know. At least it's red, white and blue! I used the coordinating wheel Buttons and Blossoms and stamped it and the sentiment in Real Red. I stamped the label again in Midnight Muse and punched it out with the Curly Label Punch. I punched out the sentiment with the Small Oval Punch and popped it up with a Dimensional. I attached the label with Dimensionals also to make it pop a little.

I added a strip of Real Red DSP from the Brights Paper Stack and added a piece of Real Red Stitched Ribbon on top with a bow attached with a Glue Dot. I added a pair of buttons from the Brights and Neutrals Collections, which unfortunately, I'm going to have a ton of after they retire in a week. Make sure to swing by my Retirement Party and pick some up for FREE! I added some Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine to the centers and attached them with Glue Dots.

I thought the flower image in the background kinda looked like fireworks when it was turned upside down. What do you think? Do you see a flag and fireworks or have I totally lost my mind? Maybe you better not answer that! Anyway, this was my attempt to kick off the Memorial Day week-end. Make sure to stop back by tomorrow. Thanks so much for visiting!

Friday, May 24, 2013

Hello there! Back again with another retiring set~Morning Cup. This is another set that I'm not sure I can part with quite yet. And check out those adorable coffee beans made with Spring Sampler, another set that will retire at the end of May. They're actually jelly beans, but I drew a line down the center with a marker and Juan Valdez wouldn't be able to tell the difference!

I started with a Crumb Cake base and stamped the beans in Crumb Cake also. I drew the center line with a Crumb Cake Marker. I stamped the coffee pot and mugs in Early Espresso~had to use that color on this card somewhere, and colored inside the lines with a Crumb Cake Marker. I colored the cups with Pear Pizzazz, Island Indigo, Daffodil Delight and Melon Mambo Markers.

I used the brand new Gingham Garden DSP again on this card. Is it not the most darling paper eva? I added a Whisper White border around the tablecloth using the Scallop Trim Border Punch. I added a double scallop frame around the coffee pot using the 2 3/8" Scallop Circle Punch in Daffodil Delight and the 1 3/4" Scallop Circle Punch in Melon Mambo. I used the 1 3/4" Circle Punch for the coffee pot. I added a Mambo heart punched with the Owl Builder Punch and dotted the Daffodil scallop with a White Gel Pen. I attached it with Dimensionals.

I'm not a huge fan of the wheels, but I did use the Take A Sip Wheel for the border along the bottom of the envelope and managed to get it straight and inked evenly! This was such a fun card to make and hope you like how it turned out as much as I did. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Hello there! I'm back with another post for you! Two in one day...how do you like that? I've been really excited to share this month's My Paper Pumpkin with you. I got it on Saturday but I was frantically working on my Artisan projects, so I had to leave it sit there in it's pretty red box. I have to admit I'm not much of a scrapbooker, so I wasn't overly thrilled when I initially saw this month's project. But the more I looked at the fun papers and stickers, it started to grow on me. I was going to lay everything out and then go back and plug in the pictures later. But I thought, who are you kidding, you'll never do it. I figured I had a bunch of pictures out anyway from my Artisan scrapbook pages, so I thought Just Do It! And I tell you, once I started plugging the pictures in, it was really fun! I was a little disappointed that there weren't more sample layouts, but after I copied the cover, I was having so much fun that I totally forgot to use the other 2 samples they provided. I was so mad at myself because they're really cute!

I won't bore you with a lot of commentary about the photos. I just want to show you several different options for your layouts.

I could have obsessed for days over these pages, but true to MPP form, I limited it to a couple of hours. Normally, you can complete the monthly project in about a half hour, but this one is a little more time consuming. But the end product is definitely worth it!

I left a couple of pages out because I used some of the same photos for my Artisan pages, so I didn't want to take a chance and disqualify myself. I'll post them later on. Once I started this project, I didn't want to stop. I added several more pages to the book with the extra DSP that came in the kit.

I have a confession for you. I've been a grandma for 7 years and have never had any pictures of my grandkids on me-gasp, I know...the horror! But now, thanks to My Paper Pumpkin, I do! I'm going to be the most obnoxious grandma out there now:)

I hope you enjoyed a trip through my little brag book, and I hope you'll consider signing up for My Paper Pumpkin to get your very own mini escape every month. Go to www.mypaperpumpkin.com for all the details and to sign up. The best part of it is the surprise you have to look forward to every month. Try it, you'll like it!(And if you don't, you can cancel at any time:) Thanks so much for stopping by!